What Could Have Been: Sarah Potter
by Lillikins2013
Summary: Lily and James never died. Even better, they defeat Lord Voldemort along side their friends! They also have a daughter, Sarah, who's in her 3rd year at HSWW! With her own Malfoy enemy and all. Oh, and Sirius is the DADA teacher. This can't end well...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own this, it's J.K. Rowling's work. **

**Thanks so much to Snape4eva!! She's the best!!!**

Over Breakfast

Sarah Potter woke up with a start to someone banging on her door. She tried to ignore it by cover her messy head of red hair with her pillow, but the noise continued. She finally got tired of it and pulled herself out of bed to go and kill whoever was interrupting her sleep.

She was about to reach the door when the person on the other side of it opened it.

"Sarah! Waky-waky! Your mother says it's time for breakfast!"

Sarah, a little startled by the sudden intrusion, jumped back, and rubbed her head. He was too loud for someone who had just woken up. She abruptly turned and went to go back to bed. "Tell mum, I'm too tired, Sirius. I'm going back to-!" She was cut off by her uncle putting his two hands under her arms from behind and picked her up with little effort. "Put me down! I'm too tired!"

"Ha! No way I'm going to be running up here all morning like an owl, AND be yelled at be your mental mother! You're GOING downstairs!"

After thrashing her arms for the past few minutes, Sarah, went limp but crossed her arms over her chest, and pouted.

Downstairs, Lily was making breakfast, bacon, eggs, and sausages. As Sirius and Sarah were walking toward the kitchen door, Sarah spotted her brother, Harry, being taken the same way. Only, he was still asleep, being held by Remus and her father, James. James was holding his legs and Remus was holding his two wrists.

When they entered the kitchen Sarah was dropped and Harry was placed at the table, only to double over and drool on the surface.

"Why does Harry get to stay asleep?"

"Because, just like his dear old dad, the house could be picked up and shook by full gown mountain giants and he would stay fast asleep and snoring." Sirius stated.

"That's m' boy!" James said fondly looking at his son.

"Well, I don't think it's fair! Why does he get to-ahhhh- stay asleep, and I have to be-ahhhh- woken up at this ungodly hour?" Sarah complained yawning half way through.

"We're both leaving at the same time for Diagon alley, and I am not –ahhhh- waiting for this toerag!"

"Well, what exactly do you suggest?" Remus, asked his young goddaughter "Believe me, I've had to live with your father for seven years, I know what one has to do to even make him flinch."

"Yes, well, Harry unfortunately, is not head over heels in love with a girl who loathes him, yet, so I cannot tell him she's asking for him." Thunderous laughter escaped the three adults.

"Who told you?" James looked astounded remembering their fifth year

when he had stood out in the cold December night by the lake only to be pelted by water balloons and get no sleep at all, and look like a mess.

"That's my girl." Sirius patted Sarah on the back

"I, mean, no offence dad, but I have a better idea," Sarah took out her wand and pointed it at her elder brother. In a second he was upside down in place, hanging by his ankles.

Slashing his arms madly, he woke with a start. "Wuzzgoinon?" He was placed back on the ground, Sarah smirked at him.

"Oh, just making sure everything was fair." Sarah stated smugly, and sat down. Harry glared at his younger sister. Then at his parents and uncles, who were laughing like madmen.

"You let her do that!" He asked, bewildered. "Why!"

"Isn't it obvious, Harry?" Sirius said, not looking up from his plate, "She's the favorite child." He grinned at him.

"Well," Harry started before sitting down next to his sister and across the table from his father and uncles "I had the strangest dream."

"Really! I would ask what is, but I really see no point in it." Ignoring his sister he continued,

"You and mum died when I was one" Harry pointed at his father, "And Sirius was sent to Azkaban-"

"Did I finally live up to my promises and kill my family?" He wondered sounding hopeful.

"No, actually you were sent to Azkaban without a trail for leaking information on mum and dads whereabouts and killing Peter."

"What?!" a shriek came from the door.

"Oh, yes Peter, we were just discussing our plans to kill you off." Sirius told his friend calmly. Peter's looked around at everyone in the room, he looked terrified.

He managed to get out a small "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious," James didn't even look up from his plate "You're of no use to us anymore. Did you think we were kidding in first year when we said, 'You can know, but then we'll have to kill you.'"

Lily cut in as she put breakfast on the table and sat down, "Oh, their only trying to scare you, Peter. Harry was talking about his dream."

Peter let out a shy of relief.

"As I was saying, Sirius was sent to Azkaban for supposedly killing Peter and leading to the Potters deaths, but actually, you had switched Secret-Keepers to Peter and Peter, who had become a Death Eater, told Lord- something, I can't remember his name- about where the mum and dad were."

"I knew it, double crossed by the rat. Tsk, tsk, Peter, now we really are going to have to kill you." Sirius got up followed by James.

"We should have known. Now, Peter, this will only hurt for a second."

Both men cornered Peter with completely straight faces, and took out their wands. Peter put his hands on his head and started to cry, "No, I never did anything! I swear! I would never do that! Please you have to believe me! I would never!" Suddenly both James and Sirius burst out laughing. They fell to the floor holding their stomachs. Peter got up and looked angry.

He muttered to himself as he went to the table. Sarah was also laughing hard, tears coming out of her faces. Harry was holding back laughter, but started to giggle. Lily and Remus were the only ones not giggling. Remus pushed out the chair beside him to his friend. Sirius and James came back to the table wiping tears from their eyes,

"Oh, Wormtail, you should've seen the look on your face," Sirius started, James finished it for him,

"Priceless." Lily gave her husband a stern look, and then turned to Harry.

"Tell us more about your dream, hon."

"Well, after twelve years in Azkaban Sirius broke out and went to Hogwarts to get revenge on Peter, who hadn't died, he only faked it. I was this chosen boy (Sarah snorted, but Harry ignored her) because when the Lord-thingy tried to get me, you gave your life for me mum, so I had love, and he didn't. So I was destined to kill him. Then in my fourth year I won the Triwizard Tournament, but the Lord came back. And then in fifth year Sirius died,-"

"Wha? Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You kill your parent, _me_, but you let the werewolf live!? What kind of messed up dream was that!"

"Yea, so, Bella killed Sirius-"

"WHAT!?! _She_ killed _me_!?!" Sirius looked shocked.

"Yes, and then in sixth year Snape killed Dumbledor and-"

"WHAT!?!" both James and Sirius stood up.

"Yea, but I didn't see anything else because _somebody _felt the need to hex me." He turned to glare at his sister.

"Well, if you could wake up when your head is banged against the table, I wouldn't have to resort to extreme measures." Sarah glared back.

"Children, children, why don't you go get ready for our shopping trip."

"Yes, mother." They chorused not taking their eyes off the other, but standing up and walking out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**K, well, I wrote this a while ago and just found it. So I have, like the next couple chapters all reading to go. Hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own this, it's all J.K. Rowlings'!!  
**

**Thank you sooooo much Snape4eva!!! If you guys like my stuff, you've gotta read hers. It's like 10x better. She's my BFFL!!!**

**If you like Sarah's spirit in this one, try my other story ****The Third Generation****, it has Lily, Harry's daughter, but, she's a lot like Sarah. If you guys tell me you like it I'll update faster. I'm weird like that. **

A New Year at Hogwarts

"Good _bye_ mother." Sarah, Harry, Lily, James and Sirius were walking down the barrier towards platform 9 ¾. Remus was, unfortunately doing paper work for the Order and couldn't make it.

They stopped two meters from the brick wall with signs for platforms nine and ten on either side.

"Alright, we'll see you soon. Now, be careful, yes, I mean you Harry." Lily hugged her kids, and her husband followed.

"Don't worry, Lils. I look after them. Help them sneak out, make sure they get into trouble, stuff like that." Sirius said, grinning.

"And what part of that is supposed to not worry me?" Lily snapped at a laughing Sirius.

"Don't worry," James repeated his friend, "I would trust Sirius with my life."

"It's not your life I'm worried about, it's our children." They watched as Harry left for the train with Ronald Weasley, a boy in his year. Turning back to the men, "They've already learned enough hex's from this man." She laughed and pointed to Sirius. He pointed to him self, in mocked shock and mouthed 'Me?'

"Oh, don't play dumb, Sirius, can you honestly tell me that Sarah learned that jinx she used the other morning by herself."

"Well, Dumbledore seems to trust him." James shrugged.

"That's another thing I don't get. Why did you take the job for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Sirius?" Lily wondered. "You've never come off as the teacher type."

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me, Lil."

"Yes, but _I_ do, and you practically disowned me for becoming Head Boy, and having what you called 'bloody authority' If I remember correctly, your words were, "Your turning into one of them. How could you do this to us?" said James.

Sirius looked back and forth between the two most frightening people he knew and his gaze landed on Lily. She was giving him a death glare of curiosity.

"Well," his gaze flickered back to James, "You know that when we left Hogwarts we left immediately to join the Order, and fight Tom Riddle. Well, we never really had time to secure a place for the Marauders at Hogwarts."

"Even if you did, you know McGonagall would hunt night and day to find it." James pointed out, referring to their favorite teacher.

"Not if, James, I'm not referring to a physical place, though the Room of Requirement comes to mind. I mean the next generation of the Marauders!"

"Your right, Padfoot!" James gave his friend a high five. Lily paled.

"You're not actually going to use your position to poison those children's minds. You've never been good with authority."

"Poison? My dear Lily, being a Marauder would be an honor. To be given the chance to uphold the name of pranking legend is rivaled by the Order of Merlin." Sirius put his hands over his heart and praised. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Good bye, Sirius."

"Oh, good bye, Lily!" he mocked love and adoration.

"Bye mate. Good luck with your project!"

"Thanks, Prongs."

After the sorting ceremony Dumbledore stood up and raised his arm. Silence swept the Great Hall, as everyone turned his attention to the Headmaster.

"To all new faces, welcome, to all old faces, welcome back. There a few start of term reminders our dear Mr. Filch would like me to remind you of." The Headmaster went through all the usual announcements. "I would now like to welcome an old Hogwarts face back as Defense Against the Dark Arts." Sarah, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked over with pleasure to see their Potions master grimace, a little more than usually. "Sirius Black!" Harry and Sarah clapped loudly and stood up. Sirius gave a dramatic bow, and turned to Professor McGonagall, who was sitting beside him. He gave her a bow, and you could scarcely see the corners of her mouth turn up. He took her hand and kissed it.

After the feast the students left the Great Hall for bed. As Sarah walked into her dorm she found her things placed on a bed by the window. As the other third year girls entered, Sarah caught a glimpse of red hair like her own. To her immense pleasure the girl stopped at the only bed beside hers.

Ginny Weasley stood before her, the younger sister of her brothers' best friend. Also, one of the only girls in her year who thought less of boys and makeup and to Sarah that was a very good quality.

Sarah had never been into that kind of thing, she had makeup, but she had never had a crush. Even though many thought of her as beautiful, she looked a lot like her mother with green eyes and red hair. She had, in fact, won _Witch Weekly_'s most eligible bachelorette.

But she was always distanced from other girls, even the airhead girls who cared more about looks. That's because she always had a fascination with the muggle world, and she, unlike most wizards, knew how to fit in.

It was probably because her mother was muggle born. She loved to visit her muggle grandparents in their town. Sarah had been around muggles, when she went shopping, but in their little town she actually had muggle acquaintances.

She also owned a computer, iPod, and phone, all for contacting with her grandparents.

She inherited the ability to do well without trying from her Marauder genes.

She also inherited her hatred of silly, air-headed, useless girls, from her mother.

So, when she found a girl who wasn't air headed, it was great. Although her and Ginny still have their differences.

Ginny could tolerate talking endlessly about make-up or how cute Jeremy Colons (Ravenclaw fifth year, Quidditch Captain, Ranked number three on the Hogwarts Hot List.) was. Sarah would rather be tortured in some humane way.

The next morning she woke up to a pillow thrown at her head. She sat up and rubbed her sore head, and looked around to who exactly had thrown it. The girls seemed to all be laughing at a joke told before Sarah had woken up, but when she looked at them they stopped.

They stared at her opened mouthed, no one speaking. She found this quite amusing and began to laugh. The girls (Katie, Stephanie, Emma, and Brianna) all looked at her with utter bewilderment.

She continued to laugh as she thought that these silly girls had been sharing a room with her for three years, her entire time at Hogwarts, and still had never gotten used to her.

She was still laughing as she got out of bed and went to take a shower.

She was late for breakfast because she had woken up late, and with the girls ready at the time of their pillow fight, she walked down alone.

Half way down a corridor on the second floor she heard something moving behind her. Hoping it wasn't Ms. Norris, even though she as doing nothing wrong, she kept walking.

After about ten agonizing seconds she heard a loud _crash_ and spun around. There standing behind her was a small first year, with long, light brown hair and fair skin. Sarah hurried over and bent down helping her with her books.

"Thanks." Mumbled the first year, trying to hold the books she was carrying.

"No problem," Sarah answered, cheerfully, standing up with the first years books she had collected. "I'll help you; it looks like you've you your hands full. Literally, how many classes are you taking? Wow, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, Arithmancy, you've defiantly got your hands full!"

"Yeah," the first year mumbled her agreement, finally getting hold of her books, and looking up. She jumped noticing who the girl who had helped her was. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll just go..."

"No, it's Ok! I'll help you. Going to breakfast?" The first year nodded,

"But I've gotten lost. This castle is really big."

"No problem, here I'll show you."

On the way to breakfast Sarah and the first year talked. She found out that her name was Ashley, and she was muggle-born. She had a little sister who was really jealous about her being a witch and Sarah told her all that she knew about her own muggle aunt. This wasn't much.

"They live in Little Winging, Surrey, and they have a son, who's a little older than my brother. Apparently, her and my mom were really close, but had a falling out when my mum came to Hogwarts."

After a few moments they stopped in front of the doors to the Great Hall.

"Here ya go." Sarah handed Ashley the books she had been carrying. "And if you ever need anymore directions, just ask me. K?"

"Ya, thanks, Sarah!" She smiled happily and went in through the doors first. Sarah grinned to herself, before following.

They were only just inside when Sarah's locked eyes with Sirius and grinned. She was about to look for a seat on the Gryffindor table, when she tripped face first into the ground. As it happened, she fell on many large textbooks. She started to pick them up as a very scared Ashley stuttered "I-I-I'm really so-sorry."

"Oh, shut up, mudblood." Came an unknown voice, and before she knew what she was doing, Sarah was standing up and had he wand out and pointed at the throat of a girl, who looked her age, in a Slytherin uniform (go figure).

The girl immediately cowered at the sight of a wand at her throat. The Great Hall was suddenly quiet as onlookers wanted to see the out come.

"What did you say?" Sarah said very slowly with every intention of sounding as threatening as she did.

The girls straightened up a bit. "That stupid mudblood shouldn't have gotten in my way."

"How dare you!" Sarah screamed and the girl and, Sarah now noticed, the girl behind her in a matching Slyerin uniform, slunk down again. "I don't _ever_ want to here you say that again. Ever! Do you understand me?" She added with a sly grin.

Just as she as about to answer Professor McGonagall beside them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Though she, along with the rest of Hogwarts, had been watching from the very beginning, and knew exactly what had happened.

"I was just deciding which curse to use on my little friend here, for scaring a first year."

"Yes, well, you will both be serving detention. You, Miss Malfoy for using terms not accepted on Hogwarts, and fifty points from Slytherin." Sarah could see the corners of her mouth twitch. She knew the Professor would have liked to do more than just give detention and take points. "And you Miss Potter," realization and shock over came Malfoys face; she had obviously not recognized her. "Will also be serving detention, for threatening a student."

"Oh, but Professor," Sarah said, evilly sweet, "I really don't deserve detention for _that_," shocked faces now filled the Great Hall, and before Professor McGonagall could retort Sarah continued, "But I do for this." And with that she picked up a goblet from the nearby Hufflepuff table, filled with something a second year had been practicing, and poured it on Malfoys head. Everyone gasped and held their breathe. "I don't want to _ever_ hear you say that word again." She almost whispered only loud enough for everyone close to hear it.

Malfoy was about to retort when everyone again gasped. Her hair had turned a putrid shade of yellow from it's original black.

Sarah crossed her arms and leaned back, smiling wickedly at Malfoy, she was sure no one saw her tap the goblet with her wand before pouring it, and could not blame it on her.

Now, someone sitting at the tables could visibly see McGonagall smile, a very strange sight, before she quickly got hold of herself.

"Come, Miss Malfoy. We will decide your detention." And with that Professor McGonagall and a very angry Malfoy left the Great Hall.

The Hall was still silent as Sarah turned around from watching their retreating backs.

She slowly looked around to see everyone staring at her in complete silence. When she reached the Head's table she could now see that Dumbledore was not there.

Beside the now empty McGonagall's sat a grinning Sirius. He suddenly stood up and ran around the table and down the center of the hall.

He ran straight to Sarah and picked her up and spun her around. She was so glad that he had broken the silence she laughed. The Slytherins scowled.

As he put her down, he began to praise her. "Oh, Sarah, that was brilliant! Your father would be so proud! So proud." He started to laugh with her, unfazed with the still silent students and teachers around them.

As if on cue, the doors of the Great Hall opened and in rushed a very shocked looking Lily and proud James, followed by a twinkling Dumbledore.

"Haya, Dumbledore!" Sirius called out, "Oh, and James, I think I found what I was looking for!" He smiled down at Sarah.

"Hay! I resent that!" came a voice down the table.

"Oh, don't be a spoil sport, Harry, you're sister is defiantly Marauder material." Sirius said, Harry chuckled, going back to his quiet conversation with Ron.

"No! Oh, hun, are you ok?" Lily started at Sirius and looked down at her daughter.

"I suggest we continue this in my office." Dumbledore motioned toward the door. Sirius, Lily, James and Sarah followed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own this, it's all J.K. Rowlings**

**A HUGE shout-out to my good friend, Snape4eva, who co-wrote this fabulous tale. She's the best!!! You should all read her fics!!**

The Great Hall was silent as they left, only when the large wooden doors closed, was the silence interrupted by the loud whispers of the gossiping students. Of course, they had good reason to be.

First, never had they witnessed a Gryffindor attack a Slytherin in such plain view. The rivalry was the greatest in the school, but neither side wanted to start off the year losing points for their house. And with so many teachers around, the Great Hall would never be the prime spot for the bullying.

Second, most students were shocked by the entrance of the Potters. It was not common to sight the Ministry's most respected and definitely most power witch and wizard. They were known for the destruction of the notorious wizard Tom Riddle.

Riddle had tried to gain power, using servants named Death Eaters, to wipe out the muggleborn wizards. They believed in pureblood superiority, and thought that 'mudbloods', as they were referred to, were not fit to be considered witch or wizard.

And they had come dangerously close to succeeding, until a group of the best witches and wizards around banded together and defeated him and most of his followers.

Among these infamous witches and wizards was their own DADA Sirius Black, the Potters, Remus Lupin (their former DADA), Mad-eye Moody (Another famous Ministry Auror), Dumbledore, and many others.

Countless dies, innocent, and not, muggles and magic folk, they spared none. And only when a life was given for another did they succeed.

The story was well known, the fact that Lily Potter had witnessed her mother dye before her, giving her life for Lily's, and then a combination of James, Sirius, Mad-eye, Remus, others, fired, simultaneously, death spells, and finally defeated the Lord Voldemort.

And so, the sudden outburst of the two most famous witch and wizard startled the young crowd.

Sarah was still smiling as she walked down the corridors with her mother and father on either side of her. Dumbledore was leading the way, with Sirius beside James, next to Sarah and Lily.

"James, you should have seen her. It was bloody brilliant! First she told her off, threatened her and then when McGonagall was giving them detentions, she poured a sample potion on her head and turned her hair green!" Sirius retold the tale dramatically, not pleasing Lily the least.

"She turned McGonagall's hair _green_!" Lily whispered, unbelieving.

"No, no, she turned _Malfoys_ hair green." He smiled reassuringly.

"Well, that makes it better." Lily turned away sarcastically.

"I can't believe I missed it! Oh, hun, I'm so proud!" James put an arm around his daughters' shoulders.

"How did you know to go to the Great Hall?" She looked up at her father, continuing to smile.

"We were talking to Dumbledore, something to do with the Order."

"Oh," Sarah said, understanding that she would hear no more on that subject.

"I mean it James," Sirius interrupted, still going on about the event "she defiantly seems worthy of it."

"Well, of course she is! She's my daughter!" James stated, serious all of a sudden, mirth still in his eyes.

"Guess it runs in the family, then, old Prongs. But, you know, she'll needs accomplices. Preferably someone in her year, for class time pranking." Sirius held his chin in is hand and looked at the ground, deep in thought, "We'll hold tests, sort out those who can and can't handle it."

"Yes, but," Sarah interrupted the adults conversation, "I can't do it anytime soon. I have the Quidditch season coming up."

Sirius and James exchanged looks, the looked back at her.

"We love you so much!" They said simultaneously, both hugging her in a death grip.

"Thanks-a lot-but-I-can't-" Sarah said, acting as if she couldn't breath.

"James, Sirius! Look at the example you give her!" Lily said, tearing Sarah away from the two of them.

"Bloody good one if you ask me…" Sirius muttered but Lily heard him.

"What…did…you…say?" She asked, pouring her frustration for them into every word, making it twice as menacing.

"N-nothing Lils." He stuttered, shrinking back under her gaze.

"That's what I thought."


End file.
